Change was in the wind on Tuesday as Minnesota United geared up for its first full week of outdoor training at the National Sports Center.

Well, change and pollen.

After three months of regular training in the indoor field house — on a non-regulation-sized turf field — Minnesota had its first training session among the elements on May 11. With nearly three times as much field space also comes direct sunlight, unlimited height to work on clearances … and the impending departure of the team’s captain.

Francisco Calvo’s inclusion on the Costa Rican World Cup roster has been seen as a foregone conclusion for nearly a year. The defender was a mainstay on the Ticos’ roster during World Cup qualifying, having earned 35...

SALE: Free trial and 30% off

Try The Athletic free for a week to get access to this article and more smart, in-depth coverage. Read and support quality journalism with this limited-time offer.